Nepal temple celebrates return of stolen Buddha statue

The latest developments in the Middle East war:

- US says destroyed Iran boats -

US forces destroyed six Iranian boats and shot down missiles and drones fired at US Navy and commercial vessels by Tehran's military, a top US admiral said.

US Apache and Seahawk helicopters hit "six Iranian small boats threatening commercial shipping," Admiral Brad Cooper, the head of US Central Command, told journalists.

US forces also "effectively engaged" all of the "missiles and drones that were fired at both us and the commercial ships," Cooper said.

Tehran denied its boats were destroyed, saying:  "The US claim that it sank a number of Iranian war boats is false."  

- Trump: 'no damage' in Hormuz -

President Donald Trump downplayed tensions after US warships entered the Strait of Hormuz, saying Iran had "taken some shots" but caused no harm apart from damage to a South Korean vessel.

"Other than the South Korean Ship, there has been, at this moment, no damage going through the Strait," Trump said on his Truth Social platform.

- UAE hit -

The United Arab Emirates said it was targeted by Iranian strikes, including one on its vital Fujairah energy hub that wounded three Indians. 

"These attacks represent a dangerous escalation and an unacceptable transgression," the UAE's foreign ministry said, adding that the country reserves the "right to respond".

Iran had "no plans" to attack the UAE, a senior Iranian military official said after the attacks.

- Two injured in Oman -

Two people were injured in Oman, on its coast along the Strait of Hormuz, when a residential building was targeted, state media reported.

Two expatriate workers were moderately hurt and four vehicles were damaged in the strike on Bukha,  the Oman News Agency said. 

- Oil prices jump -

Oil prices soared on the revived conflict, with the Brent crude contract for July delivery jumping more than five percent soon after the shooting started. 

- Israel on high alert -

An Israeli military official said the army remained on high alert and was monitoring the situation after the US admiral announced the destroyed Iranian boats and shot-down missiles.

- US destroyers in Hormuz -

US destroyers entered the Gulf as part of a mission to escort ships through the Strait of Hormuz, the US military said.

After the announcement, Iranian state television reported that the Islamic republic's navy fired cruise missiles, rockets and combat drones near the US ships, after multiple warning shots. 

- 'No ships crossed Hormuz' -

Iran's Revolutionary Guards denied any commercial ships transited the Strait of Hormuz, after the US military said two US-flagged merchant vessels had passed through the vital waterway under escort.

"The claims of American officials are baseless and completely false," the Guards said in a statement on Telegram.

- Lebanon says security deal needed -

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said a security deal and an end to Israeli attacks were needed before any meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, sought by Washington.

Aoun's office said in a statement that the president "reiterated his view that the timing is not appropriate now for a meeting" with Netanyahu.

- Hezbollah reports clashes -

Hezbollah said its forces clashed with Israeli soldiers in south Lebanon near the border where the troops are still operating, despite a ceasefire since April 17.

Hezbollah said in a statement that after Israeli troops attempted to advance near the town of Deir Seryan -- inside an Israeli-declared "yellow line" where Lebanese residents have been told not to return -- its fighters "opened fire on the enemy force and engaged in heavy clashes with them".

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Troubled pop princess Britney Spears on Monday admitted to reckless driving involving alcohol, in a plea deal that means she will avoid jail.

The "Toxic" singer was arrested in March after police spotted her driving erratically on a freeway in Ventura County, near Los Angeles.

She was initially charged with DUI -- driving under the influence -- but under the plea deal confirmed Monday she admitted a lesser charge of reckless driving involving alcohol, drugs or both.

A court in Ventura sentenced the 44-year-old to 12 months' probation, her lawyer Michael Goldstein said.

"She's going to do well, and we all root for Britney," Goldstein told reporters, including AFP, outside the court.

"I don't think anybody's happy about pleading guilty to anything, but under the circumstances and to get this behind her, I think everybody is pleased with the result. 

"We appreciate the district attorney recognizing the positive steps that Britney has taken to help herself."

As part of the plea deal, Spears must complete a substance abuse program and meet with mental health professionals.

Prosecutors have given no details on the drug allegedly in her system at the time of arrest and her lawyer declined to comment.

Judge Matthew Nemerson ordered that Spears must have a valid prescription for any drugs in her possession.

The singer's representatives told US media after her arrest that she had voluntarily checked in to a rehab facility.

Monday's hearing is the latest step on a rocky road for a woman who once dominated pop.

Spears had phenomenal early music success in the late 1990s with hits like "...Baby One More Time" but has largely stepped back from music in recent years.

Following a public breakdown in 2007, Spears was placed under the conservatorship of her father Jamie Spears, who controlled her money and her personal life, even as she continued to perform high-profile concerts.

The conservatorship was dissolved by a Los Angeles court in 2021, after a groundswell of public support to "Free Britney."

In her 2023 memoir "The Woman in Me," Spears insisted she never did hard drugs and that she did not have a drinking problem, but she admitted that she was taking Adderall, the ADHD medication.

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A car ploughed into a crowd on a street in Germany's eastern city of Leipzig on Monday, killing at least two people and injuring several others, authorities said.

Germany has been shaken by a series of car-ramming attacks in recent years, including one targeting a Christmas market in 2024 in Magdeburg, and also in Berlin and Munich.

In the latest incident in Leipzig, the driver was arrested after his vehicle careered from a main square down a major city centre street, close to historic sites. 

Leipzig mayor Burkhard Jung gave a death toll of two, adding: "We still don't really know the motivation. We don't know anything about the perpetrator."

Police and the fire service also said two people were killed.

At least two people were seriously injured while 20 others were more lightly hurt, according to local fire chief Axel Schuh.

Police said that the car ploughed into people on Grimmaische street, a major pedestrian zone in the city's old town lined with shops and historic buildings. 

"The driver has been arrested; there is currently no further danger from him," they said. 

The driver stopped of his own accord, they added. 

TV pictures showed a white vehicle with a badly damaged windshield and hood, and the street cordoned off and surrounded by emergency vehicles.

Police deployed in large numbers along with firefighters, emergency medical personnel and two helicopters. 

- Series of rammings -

Since the Berlin attack in December 2016, carried out by a Tunisian with jihadist motives who drove a truck into the crowd, killing 13 people, Germany has faced repeated ramming attacks. 

In 2024, a Christmas market in Magdeburg was targeted by a Saudi man with Islamophobic views, who drove a car into the crowd, killing six people and injuring more than 300. 

In February 2025, a mother and her daughter were killed and around 30 people injured by the Afghan driver of a vehicle that rammed into a march in Munich. 

The attacks came as sensitivities have grown in parts of German society over immigrants, following a large migrant influx in 2015. 

Immigration and security have risen up the political agenda in German political debate, helping fuel the rise of the far-right party Alternative for Germany (AfD).

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Masai Ujiri was named president of the Dallas Mavericks on Monday, given the task of leading a revival of a club that reached the NBA Finals in 2024.

Ujiri will oversee all aspects of basketball operations for the Mavericks, including roster moves and scouting, to revamp a team that went 26-56 and missed the playoffs for the second year in a row.

"The Dallas Mavericks are committed to being a world-class organization with a strong culture and focused on winning championships," Mavericks co-owner Patrick Dumont said in announcing the move.

"Masai Ujiri is one of the great basketball leaders of this generation and his addition to our franchise is a critical step in meeting our goals."

Ujiri, 55, was born in England to Kenyan and Nigerian parents and grew up in Nigeria. He moved to the United States to follow his dream to play basketball and spent a decade playing professionally in Europe.

He served as an international scout for the Denver Nuggets before being hired by the Toronto Raptors in 2008 as assistant general manager.

In 2010, he returned to Denver as general manager, the first African to hold such a role in a major US professional sport, and in 2013 was named NBA Executive of the Year.

Ujiri became executive vice president and general manager of the Raptors in 2013 and took over as team president in 2016. The Raptors won the 2019 NBA title and Ujiri stayed for 12 years in all until splitting with the club last June.

"I'm honored to join the Dallas Mavericks and step into this role at such an important time for the organization," Ujiri said. "This is a franchise with a proud history, passionate fans, and a commitment to winning.

"I look forward to working with our players, coaches and leadership team to build something that reflects that standard and competes at the highest level. We will win in Dallas."

Despite the efforts of NBA Rookie of the Year Cooper Flagg, the Mavericks suffered their worst season since 2017-18 and Nico Harrison was fired as president and general manager in November, replaced on an interim basis by Michael Finley and Matt Riccardi.

"We welcome (Ujiri's) energy and determination along with his leadership, experience and many accomplishments as a basketball executive," Dumont said. "We are very excited about the future of our team."

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American actor Demi Moore, still riding high from the late-career boost of her Oscar-nominated turn in "The Substance", will join the jury for the Cannes Film Festival, which kicks off next week, organisers announced on Monday.

The film extravaganza on the French Riviera, one of the world's most important annual cinema events, hands out a host of prizes, including the prestigious Palme d'Or for best film, decided by a nine-person jury.

Moore, 63, along with Chinese filmmaker Chloe Zhao, whose films from "Nomadland" to "Hamnet" have become awards-season favourites, will add some A-list sparkle to the jury, which also includes Ivorian-American actor Isaach de Bankole, who is set to play in the upcoming third instalment of the "Dune" franchise.

As previously announced, the jury will be headed by arthouse South Korean director Park Chan-Wook ("Oldboy").

The other jury members are Irish-Ethiopian actress Ruth Negga, Belgian director Laura Wandel, Chilean director Diego Cespedes, Irish screenwriter Paul Laverty and Swedish actor Stellan Skarsgard.

The Cannes Festival runs from May 12 to 23.

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A car ploughed into people on a street Germany's eastern city of Leipzig on Monday, leaving at least two dead and several injured, authorities said. 

The driver was arrested after the vehicle careered from a main square down a major city centre street, close to historic sites. 

Leipzig mayor Burkhard Jung confirmed two people had died, adding: "We still don't really know the motivation. We don't know anything about the perpetrator."

Leipzig fire service chief Axel Schuh also gave a death toll of two. 

Two people were also seriously injured and two others were "affected," he said. 

Police said in a post on X that the car ploughed into people on Grimmaische street and then "fled the scene".  

But they later arrested the driver, adding that "there is currently no further danger from him". 

Police deployed in large numbers along with firefighters, emergency medical personnel and two helicopters. 

Germany has faced a string of car-ramming attacks in recent years.

In December 2024, at least six people were killed and hundreds wounded in a car-ramming attack on the Christmas market in the eastern city of Magdeburg.

There have also been similar attacks in Munich and Berlin.

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Jamahl Mosley was fired as coach of the Orlando Magic on Monday, hours after the team was eliminated from the NBA playoffs with a blowout loss in Detroit.

The top-seeded Pistons rallied from a 3-1 deficit in their best-of-seven Eastern Conference first round series to eliminate Orlando with a 116-94 triumph in game seven on Sunday.

The Magic was barely back in Florida before team president of basketball operations Jeff Weltman announced Mosley's dismissal.

"We're grateful to Jamahl for all he has done for the Orlando Magic," Weltman said. "We appreciate his leadership and the positive contributions he made as head coach.

"While this was a difficult decision, we feel it's time for a new voice and fresh perspective."

Mosley, 47, served as an assistant coach for Denver, Cleveland and Dallas before being hired by the Magic as head coach in July 2021.

His five seasons marked the longest tenure for any Magic coach since Stan Van Gundy, who guided Orlando to the 2009 NBA Finals, where they lost to the Los Angeles Lakers.

But the Magic have not won a playoff series since 2010, falling in the first round seven times and missing the playoffs nine times since then.

Under Mosley, the Magic went 189-221, including a 45-37 record this past campaign, and made the playoffs the past three seasons before making quick exits.

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The brightest stars in Hollywood, music, sports and style will hit the red carpet Monday for the Met Gala, the extravagant Manhattan charity ball that this year spotlights the intersection between fashion and art.

The A-listers invited to New York's biggest social event of the year have been asked to dress for the theme "Fashion is Art," which dovetails with the exhibit "Costume Art" at the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute.

But for the fashionistas, the Met Gala -- traditionally held on the first Monday in May -- is simply one of the world's top red carpets with blinding star power.

Music mega-star Beyonce will make her first appearance at the event in a decade, serving as a co-chair of fashion's marquee event along with tennis legend Venus Williams and Oscar-winning actress Nicole Kidman.

Of course, the entire evening is overseen by Vogue's global editorial director Anna Wintour -- the ultimate tastemaker in US fashion who has helmed the event for 30 years. 

The gala is a fundraiser for the Met's Costume Institute, but it is also a social media extravaganza that sees stars don over-the-top looks, vying to create the greatest spectacle.

The Met also announced a gala "host committee" led by Saint Laurent designer Anthony Vaccarello and actress Zoe Kravitz. It features singers Sabrina Carpenter and Doja Cat, retired ballet superstar Misty Copeland, and WNBA champion A'ja Wilson.

Last year's event showcased the subversive style of Black dandyism, and was a rare Met Gala spotlighting men and male fashion.

This year's function has drawn controversy after Amazon boss Jeff Bezos and his wife Lauren Sanchez Bezos were announced as the lead sponsors and honorary co-chairs of the gala.

In the run-up to Monday, a campaign opposing the billionaire couple's involvement cropped up in New York's streets and subways, with some calling for a boycott of an event some see as a gross display of immense wealth.

Behind the campaign is a group founded in Britain called "Everyone Hates Elon" -- which, a spokesperson stressed, "targets other billionaires" beyond Elon Musk, the world's richest person. 

The Met Gala was first organized in 1948 and for decades was reserved for New York high society -- until Wintour transformed the party into a high-profile catwalk for the rich and famous in the 1990s.

The "Costume Art" exhibit, which opens on May 10 at the venerable museum in Manhattan, will seek to explore the "dressed body" in artworks across the centuries.

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French university canteens began offering one-euro meals to all students regardless of income on Monday, in a measure designed to address financial hardship.

The move follows a push by student unions to extend the one-euro rate ($1.17) for a three-course meal to all students, down from the usual 3.30 euros.

The price, which covers a starter, main course and dessert, was previously only available to those with low incomes or receiving financial aid.

For Alexandre Ioannides, an 18-year-old student in Paris, the measure will slash his monthly canteen expenses.

"I come here 20 times a month. That's about 60 euros. Whereas now, I'll pay 20 euros," he said, adding the savings would go towards "going out or eating at a restaurant".

The policy aims to alleviate financial strain for students in France, where a January survey by a student union organisation found 48 percent have gone without food for financial reasons and 23 percent do so several times a month.

Around 667,000 students benefited from the one-euro lunch scheme in 2024, a 5.3-percent increase from the previous year, with around 46.7 million meals served at both the discounted and standard 3.30-euro rates, according to university restaurant operator Crous.

Authorities are preparing for a rise in demand, with Higher Education Minister Philippe Batiste promising 120 million euros in 2027 to back the scheme.

"It is a small internal revolution," said Batiste, who pledged to oversee the programme to ensure it does not lead to an excessive workload for canteen staff or a decline in food quality.

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The US Supreme Court on Monday temporarily lifted a lower court's ban on mail delivery of the widely used abortion drug mifepristone.

The top court's order restores mail access to mifepristone, which is used in the majority of abortions in the United States, until at least May 11.

A three-judge panel of the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals had halted mail delivery of mifepristone on Friday in a lawsuit brought by the southern state of Louisiana, which has some of the strictest anti-abortion laws in the country, against the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Danco Laboratories, which manufactures mifepristone, asked the Supreme Court for a one-week pause on the appeals court order while it prepares to bring an emergency case to the top court.

The Supreme Court agreed without explanation to block the appeals court ruling until at least May 11 while the parties file legal briefs.

The 5th Circuit ruling requires women seeking abortions anywhere in the United States to obtain mifepristone in person from health clinics and bans delivery by mail or through a pharmacy.

The conservative-dominated appeals court overturned a lower court ruling that allowed mifepristone to continue to be delivered by mail while the FDA conducts a review of its regulations regarding the drug.

Mifepristone has been approved by the FDA since 2000 and is also routinely used for managing early miscarriages.

Anti-abortion activists, however, have called the drug's safety into question, with some citing a study conducted by a conservative think tank that never underwent a formal peer review.

Mifepristone, which prevents pregnancy progression, and misoprostol, which empties the uterus, are approved to terminate a pregnancy up to 70 days of gestation in the United States.

Some 20 states have banned or restricted abortion since the Supreme Court in June 2022 overturned the landmark Roe v. Wade ruling that enshrined the constitutional right to abortion for half a century.

Polls show a majority of Americans support continued access to safe abortion, even as conservative groups push to limit the procedure or ban it outright.

In 2024, the US Supreme Court rejected a bid to restrict mifepristone, ruling that anti-abortion groups and doctors challenging the medication lacked the legal standing to bring the case.

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